Review: Cafe Society

What It Is: When young Bobby (Eisenberg) moves from New York to Los Angeles he dreams of possibly getting involved in showbiz. His uncle Phil (Carell) tries to help him out with a job. In order to show him around, he asks his secretary Vonnie (Stewart) to do the task. As the two start to get close beautiful relationship blossoms between the two. When Vonnie’s boyfriend (who had previously dumped her) makes a huge decision that changes their relationship. This leads Bobby down a different route and changes the trajectory of both their lives.

What We Think: I love Woody Allen. Whether it’s his classics like Manhattan or Annie Hall or his most recent master strokes Midnight in Paris or Blue Jasminehe really gets certain aspects of cinema. Here he tackles another period piece and he really gets it. It is a love letter to the cinema in the jazz age. It is so much so that certain scene are even “borrowed” from the amazing 1960 best picture winner The Apartment. This is the third time that stars Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart have worked together along with Adventureland and last year’s American Ultraboth of which I enjoyed. Here that chemistry is palpable and you can truly tell these two enjoy working together.

Our Grade: B-, Allen is for me on a role! With two previous mentioned modern classics and two underrated gems in Magic in the Moonlightand Irrational Manwhich I truly enjoyed. I’m glad to see Kristen Stewart doing good work she’s been solid as of late particularly in The Runaways and Clouds of Sils Maria. I love love love the settings of this film and matched with a great jazzy score you feel soak in the early thirties. Go see this film if you’re into Woody Allen, thirties period pieces or good movies in general.